Congress had passed the new eight-hour law for the railroad workers a sigh of relief went up from everyone. This was true in spite of the varying opinions as to the judiciousness of such an act by Congress. If the strike was to be averted it was evident that some quick action would be necessary. The President had endeavored to settle the matter himself between the brotherhoods and the operators but without success. He Photo by Universal Animated Weekly therefore went before ConPresident Wilson Signing Bigger Army and Navy Bills. gress and in a special personal mes- men into the military service of the sage stated that his mediation had United States in order to run the failed and that he had six proposals to trains in the event of a strike. make. They are in part, as follows: A reorganization of the Inter-State Commerce Commission, to give it more power and to make it more efficient. The creation of an eight-hour day for railway wage-earners. The creation of a Commission to observe the effect of this eight-hour law. The endorsement by Congress of an increase in freight rates to meet the increased expense caused by the eighthour law. A law compelling arbitration. And a law giving the President the power to draft the railway work Photo by Universal Animated Weekly Out of the six proposals presented the proposal for an eight-hour day, and an investigating commission, were passed. The eight-hour day was the thing the employees had asked for in conjunction with time and a half for overtime. The law took forty-eight hours to pass the House and the Senate. It was evident that great pressure was being brought to bear from all sides. The law briefly summarized provides for the following things: It establishes an eight-hour day as a standard for railway workers. It directs Exposing Venders of Gasoline Who "Short Measure" a Pint in Order to Sell for Twenty-three Cents a Gallon. that the pay should remain the same for a day's work despite the change from a ten to an eight-hour day. Overtime pay is to remain as it is. A Commission, in accordance with the President's proposal, consisting of three men, is to be appointed by the President to investigate the eight-hour day. The railroad situation was one which engrossed the attention of everyone throughout the United States. It is undoubtedly true that a railroad strike would stop every Photo by Universal Animated Weekly ance with the terms, imposed upon them by the leaders of organizations comprising only 400,000 of their number." There are many adverse criticisms of the new law but there are also those who support it. Among those who are in accord with it is the "New Republic," and we quote from its statement: "The prevention of the railroad strike has caused bitterness, but it is insignificant when compared with what would have happened had the strike taken place. A number of wellmeaning people have said publicly, and a good many more have said privately, that they would have preferred a strike. They do not know what a national railroad strike would mean, and they are guilty of a serious lack. of imagination. There have been very few railroad strikes in the history of the world, and where they have occurred they have brought the nation which suffered them to the verge of civil war. No nation has ever undergone a strike comparable to the one we have just escaped. English, French, Italian and Belgian experience was a foretaste, but not a measure of what Photo by Universal Animated Weekly Colonel Roosevelt in Action. Photos by Pathé Weekly reception by cow-punchers at Medora, North Dakota. (1) The 9th Massachusetts Infantry at the border adopts three young raccoons as its mascots. (2) Candidate Hughes is given a real western (3) President Wilson speaking at the presentation of the Lincoln Memorial at Hodgenville, tory. Kentucky. (See World Comment). (4) The Allies at Somme, France, placing barbed wire entanglements around their newly conquered terri Photo by Universal Animated Weekly an American strike would have been. No nation has dealt with industrial conflict over so large a territory, and no nation where strikes have occurred is so dependent as we are upon the railroads. Had the strike occurred, men and women would have died, violence would have been epidemic, business would have staggered, and bitterness unquenchable would have filled the land." There are many others who believe with the "New Republic" and as we read the stand taken by the opposing sides we feel that the necessity of averting a nation-wide strike was essential. Now that a truce has been proclaimed and the railroads will operate without breaking the continuity of service, let us look further, in our calmer moments, when we have more time, and investigate the situation thoroughly. This can and will be done by the Commission which the President will appoint. Let them be non-partizan in their views; thorough in their investigations, and when the report is made, Congress, the operators and the workers will be in a THE MAINE ELECTION M AINE, which many like to refer to as the "barometer state," has just had a state election in which they elected a Governor, two United States Senators and four Congressmen. There was a Republican elected to each one of the aforementioned offices. Mr. Milliken, who is the newly elected governor, has the confidence of the people of Maine and undoubtedly had the support of the Prohibitionists. In nearly every speech he delivered in his campaign he declared himself for the strict enforcement of the anti-liquor law of the state. Colonel Hale and Bert M. Fernald are the newly elected senators. Colonel Hale was opposed in his election by Senator Johnson. Senator Johnson, who has been a strong supporter of President Wilson and his policies, received aid from the Administration in his campaign and his defeat, according to the Republican Party, marks a loss of prestige by the Democratic Party in the State of Maine. Mr. Fernald, who was once governor of Maine, was opposed by Photo by Universal Animated Weekly position to act with deliber- "Christy" Mathewson Being Greeted by a "Universal” ation. Man. Professor Sills of Bowdoin College. One of the results of the election was the ratification of the Fifty-four hour bill which was passed by the Legislature in 1915. This was done by referendum after a strong opposition by the labor operators. The bill reduces the hours of labor for women and minors from fifty-eight to fiftyfour hours per week. Maine is the fifteenth state to pass this law. That a sudden awakening among the voters in Maine has taken place is evident, for there was the largest number of votes cast in many years. T RUSSIA'S PROGRESS HE entrance of Rumania into the war on the side of the Allies has added materially to the position of Russia in her drive against the Central Powers. This is especially true in the Bukowina region, where her armies can join forces with the Rumanians and, as pointed out in the comment on Rumania in this issue, it will aid the great Slavic nation to crystallize her efforts to secure control of Constantinople. There was a lull in the activities in the Lemberg drive due to the shift to the Carpathian front. These activities, however, have again been resumed and the Russian Army is advancing toward the city which has been their objective for many months. This cessation was due, probably, to the fact that the Russians had advanced so rapidly that they needed new concentration camps for supplies. Maintaining the same tactics, the principal characteristics of which is shifting the point of attack, General Brusiloff has opened with renewed. vigor the drive against Lemberg. The recent revival, however, has been confined to the region between the Volhynia border and the Carpathians. The town of Brzezany was made the first point of attack, where some twen ty thousand prisoners fell into Russian hands, and then it was shifted to Halicz. The town of Halicz is considered by military experts to be the southern gate to Lemberg. It is of great strategic value to either side and should it fall into the hands of the Russians the Teuton commander will be forced to retire. The town is the railroad center for the north and northeast, one of the railroads running direct to Lemberg. In addition to being the railroad center for this section, the Gnita Lipa River falls into the Dniester at Halicz. The Gnita Lipa offers the last defensive line before Lemberg. If the Russians are successful in crossing this river in the south the entire situation will be changed and a further retreat of the Teutonic forces would become inevitable. As we write the report comes that the Russians are holding their positions against counter attacks in the region ten miles south of Halicz. Owing to the importance of this entire sector, the results will show, in a Central Powers still possess. fair degree, the strength which the THE HOME OF LINCOLN Ο N Labor Day, September 4th, the Lincoln Farm Association turned over to the United States the farm where Abraham Lincoln was born. The dedication of the Memorial was made of national importance and President Wilson and Secretary Baker participated in the ceremonies. The Lincoln Farm Association was formed through the instrumentalities of Robert J. Collier, who purchased the Lincoln Farm just as it was about to pass from the hands of a New York restaurant keeper to those who wished to erect a distillery on the property. Following this saving of the emancipator's birthplace, the Association was formed |